Seeking Shelter
by rosebudreader
Summary: Lily groaned again, so much for not ruining her clothes. She looked up at the face on top of her, the boy looked about her age; handsome and tan with black glasses framing his face and a mop of messy black hair atop his head. He had the decency to look sheepish as he scrambled off her and reached out his hand.


**SO it's been a long time since I've posted a story, and I probably shouldn't because I have exams coming up, but I needed a distraction and this sort of just wrote itself. A university AU, for your enjoyment xx**

 **Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I own none of the characters. The ideas, however, are mine.**

Lily scuttled along the concrete path; her shoes making delicate clicking sounds with each step she took. Every couple of strides she stopped to readjust the books that were overflowing from her hands. Although she kept a firm grip on their spines, the books seemed to dance out of her grasp as she moved along, threatening to fall onto the ground with a large bang that would shatter the almost complete silence of the campus. A light rain started to fall on her hair as she began to move faster, not wanting to ruin the dress she'd put on for today. As she finally found shelter under a small bus stop the rain started falling faster, soon her pale pink fabric shoes were spotted with raindrops and dirt. She sighed, she'd have to wait the rain out under cover or risk ruining her books. She set her books on one of the metal stools attached to the bus shelter and her backpack soon followed, her belongings forming a delicate tower across two seats. She sat down on the adjacent stool, patting down her already damp hair and assessing the damage on her new shoes, they'd have to be washed, or thrown out. After doing a quick check of her books for any water damage, she cast her eyes out to the now wet campus. Although it looked ordinary and bland, she could see where the green leaves grew in spring, and where the flowers sprouted during their last days of classes. Even in the rain she could picture the students laid out on the grass, with picnic blankets and textbooks. She could almost smell the scent of ice cream and nature and _people_ that the campus exuded on its best days.

Squinting into the distance Lily thought she could see a shape coming towards her, the rain pounding on the tin of the bus shelter made it hard for her to hear the footsteps until she could see the outline of a boy running in her direction. Thoroughly shocked she jumped up, causing her backpack to land on the wet ground. She groaned, leaning down to pick it up. Just as she was righting herself and checking her bag for damage the boy made it to her bus shelter, running undercover in full force. Although she could see that he was trying to slow down, his efforts were in vain on the slippery concrete floor and they both toppled to the ground on impact, landing outside the bus shelter in the rain. She groaned again, so much for not ruining her clothes. She looked up at the face on top of her, the boy looked about her age; handsome and tan with black glasses framing his face and a mop of messy black hair atop his head. He had the decency to look sheepish as he scrambled off her and reached out his hand. She took it at once and when she was standing upright and undercover she had the chance to look at the wet sloppy remains of her favourite dress.

"I'm so sorry about that," He said, trying to hold back a smile. Lily tried to look offended, but her dress clung to her body and her hair was matted and muddy at the back of her neck and she couldn't help but laugh.

"Not your fault, you're just trying to seek refuge like me," She managed to say once her laughter had died down. He was looking at her with a mixture of awe and hesitance and she stuck her hand out, "Lily"

"James" he replied, taking her hand. Their hands made a squelching sound as they shook and Lily burst out into laughter again. She chanced a look up at him to see his face was broken out in a grin, messy hair plastered to his face and his clothing hanging around his body heavily.

"What a horrible rain," Lily mused, ringing out the bottom of her dress in an attempt to save it.

"I didn't think it'd get so heavy so fast. I thought I'd have time to park 'round the back then run up to the lecture hall," James nodded to the parking garage behind them, reserved only for professors and teachers. Lily furrowed her eyebrows slightly at the thought that this boy could be a professor, but she quickly shook her head, none of her business.

"My excuse isn't nearly as good. I just park out here because I enjoy the walk, and I didn't even notice it was raining until I felt it on my head. I'm not good at checking the weather," James smiled at her again and Lily fought the urge to blush.

"You park on the opposite end of the campus because you like the walk?" James asked, eyes widening.

"How do you know it's the opposite side?" Lily retaliated. James nodded at the books still placed on the metal stool with spines giving away her science major.

"The science building is on the other side of campus," James shouldered off his wet jacket and placed it across one of the metal stools as he spoke.

"Ok, so it is the opposite end of campus, _but…_ I don't have an excuse." At this James laughed and Lily gestured towards her things taking up 2 of the 4 stools available, "I can move something if you want to sit down,"

"It's not a problem," James shook his head, placing his backpack on top of his wet jacket and moving to lean against the wall of the shelter.

"My books don't need two chairs and my backpack…" at the thought of her backpack Lily quickly spun around, her eyes finding a black lump of wet material a couple of meters away from the shelter, it must have slipped out of her hands as James ran into her.

"Shit, I'm so sorry," James began, moving to walk out the shelter to retrieve the backpack.

"Don't be silly, it's ruined anyway, no need to catch a cold by going out into the rain again," Lily grabbed hold of his arm and her stomach did flips as his biceps tensed and he turned to face her.

"I feel horrible," He said, running a hand through his damp hair.

"As you should," Lily teased, slowly letting go of his arm and placing her hand beside her awkwardly.

"Maybe I should just kick you out of here again," James replied smirking.

"I was here first! If anything, I should kick you out!" Lily turned away from James and neatened the books that were taking up two seats. She placed them on the stool next to James's wet jacket and backpack and sat down.

"So, science major?" James asked, sitting down beside Lily. His arm briefly brushing Lily's as he sat down, causing Lily to erupt in Goosebumps.

"Yeah, medicine," Lily said, waiting for James to widen his eyes and act shocked that such a girl like Lily would do medicine. Instead, he simply smiled.

"Decided what you want to specialise in yet?" He asked, fiddling with the watch on his left wrist.

"Paediatrics," Lily replied immediately, "It's been a dream of mine since I was little."

"Sweet, much longer left to study?" James turned to look at Lily and she couldn't remember a time when someone she didn't know seemed genuinely interested in her life.

"Maybe four years? If I'm lucky and make it into the accelerated program here, then I can fast track one year of the undergrad, hopefully do my experience during the break and then I can… I'm rambling. Sorry" Lily smiled sheepishly and turned her eyes to her soaked shoes.

"Don't apologise. It seems like you've got a passion,"

"So, you teach here?" Lily asked, gesturing to the teacher's car park where he'd told her he left his car.

"Teacher's assistant, so yeah, I guess. I'm doing my final year of a master's program," Lily turned to face him and prodded him to continue with her eyes, "Arts and history."

"Oh nice. If I had room I think I would've taken roman history. At least, that's what I tell myself when I'm buried in biology." At this James chuckled, the sound bouncing against the metal of the shelter and making Lily forget about the rain pelting down around them.

"Never in a million years would I do a science. I was alright at it at school but I hated it. Me and my mate still hold the record for most explosions in one lesson." James brought his hand to his face in embarrassment and Lily smiled widely.

"That is something to be very proud of. If I wasn't so focused on keeping these scholarships I reckon I'd have blown up a few things too," After realising what she'd said Lily's hand flew up to her mouth. She never mentioned the scholarships she was living off. She didn't want people to think she was any different to them, just because she couldn't afford to pay full tuition fees. She rarely ever let that slip; there was just something about James that made her want to keep talking.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that," Lily amended quickly, she refused to look James in the eyes, instead focusing on the rain still pounding loudly on the floor metres in front of her.

"You must be awfully busy," James continued, obviously sensing Lily's discomfort and trying to change the subject of their conversation.

"Yeah, I barely have time to breathe," Lily replied, looking up at James again, she couldn't quite place the warm feeling she felt talking to a stranger, "That's actually why I'm here so early. I live with a whole bunch of my friends and, although I love them to bits, sometimes it gets awfully hard to concentrate around them."

"I can imagine," James smiled at Lily and they lapsed into a comfortable silence as the rain continued to fall around them. Lily shifted uncomfortably on her seat as she felt the chill from the air around her.

"What're you doing here so early?" Lily asked after she'd mustered the courage to speak again.

"Pardon?" James replied, shaking his head out of a daze and turning to face Lily.

"Well, I told you why I'm here, stuck under a bus shelter at 6:30am on a Tuesday, so it's only fair I get your reason." Lily swallowed thickly and was relieved when James smiled down at her.

"'Course. I'm trying to plan lessons. I did horribly last semester so I'm trying to look good for the teacher so maybe she'll pass me," James said openly, Lily got the feeling that he'd never been ashamed of anything in his life and immediately she was intrigued.

"Teaching got too hard?" Lily joked, watching as the rain slowly began to ease up, the butterflies in her stomach returning as she realised she could probably leave the bus shelter soon.

"More like I got too lazy. Happens all the time. Just needed a reminder to continue working, that's all," It seemed that James had noticed the easing rain too, although neither made any move to stand up.

"I'm glad you got back on track, I'm sure you'll be an incredible history professor,"

"I don't actually want to teach history," Lily raised her eyebrow at James, "I want to be an artist. Like the poor struggling type that live off the smell of paint and lights in galleries. But my parents thought I ought to get a career that could pay the bills. This is the second best thing I guess." James seemed immediately embarrassed and Lily was glad to know that she wasn't the only one feeling terribly honest.

"You should do what you dream of. Otherwise you'll wake up one day and your chance will be gone, and you can't get two chances, no matter how hard you try," Lily smiled sadly as she watched James think.

"You sound like you're speaking from experience," James said, piecing together her words.

"My parents died a few years ago. I can't travel the world or take a year off or move back home and I didn't do enough of that while I could. I'd do anything to take time back, to spend it with them, to spend it doing normal, stupid, twenty-year-old things," Lily froze, "I've said too much. Again,"

James was silent for a while; Lily felt her heart beat in her throat as she imagined him being scared off by her honesty. Once again, it hadn't meant to slip out. It just, did. And although Lily imagined seeing the interest ebb out of James, it had still felt good to talk to someone about it.

"Thank you," James said suddenly, he stood up and looked out to the now clearing sky.

"Thank me? All I did was unload my feelings and fall into you," Lily joked, relieved when James smiled at her.

"You told me exactly what I needed to hear." James replied, helping Lily up and then moving to fiddle with his jacket and backpack.

"I'm glad I could be of assistance," Lily said, still confused but glad that her sudden burst of honesty hadn't sent James running.

"Looks like the rain's gone," James mused, gesturing to the sky.

"And coming here early was for nothing, I'm going to have to go back home and change now!" Lily looked down at her muddy dress and tangled hair and sighed.

"Once again, I am incredibly sorry. Is there anything I can …" James cut off suddenly, darting out from under the bus shelter to receive Lily's soaking wet backpack, "I'll buy you a new one,"

"Oh God, don't be silly. It'll be fine once I've dried it off," Lily nodded her reassurance at James and he seemed to calm down a little, "Although I did pack a pretty delicious lunch of an apple and crackers that will be _totally_ ruined now!"

"I'll buy you lunch," James gushed, his eyes growing wide once he realised what he'd said. Lily felt herself blush.

"No, really. It's fine," She replied, moving to pick up her books in an effort to compose herself.

"No, I mean it. To apologise for this whole mess. I want to buy you lunch," James repeated, his voice sounding more confident.

"Only if you're sure," Lily turned to face James again and was glad to see him grinning.

"Yes, it's the only way to repay you for a ruined dress and apple,"

"You're right. I'm expecting 5-star compensation for that apple!" Lily retaliated; she and James began walking away from the bus shelter, the sky completely blue.

"What ever you like," James winked at Lily and she blushed bright red. They walked a while together, keeping up idle conversation before Lily reached her car.

"Well, I guess I'll see you around?" Lily swallowed; she opened the back door to her car and threw her books and backpack in, all caution forgotten.

"Yeah, here, put your number in and I'll call you about lunch," James shoved his hand in his pocket and produced a slimy looking phone, "Is that okay?"

"Brilliant. Yeah, it's perfect," Lily stuttered as she keyed in her number and handed the phone back to James.

"Great. I'll see you later Lily," James said, he took a step back and waited as Lily got into her car.

"See you," With one last wave Lily started her car and began driving home. Although she'd lost over an hour of study, this little diversion didn't seem like it was such a waste of time.

 **Hope you liked it! Let me know in the comments what you think, I have a couple of ideas for a second part, maybe? If there's a want for it. Anyway, enjoy your day xx**


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